Bicycle



' (No' Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. F. HALL. BICYCLE.

No. 480,844. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 8heetsSheet 2.

G. P. HALL.

BICYCLE. No. 480,844. Patented Aug 16, 1892.

WITNESSES I l INVENTUB 6w j Q 07 921 7. Hal/Z1, mfiufl ATT'Y.

m: NORRIS versus co., "(MO-H1110, wasmuu'rou u c UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. HALL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOHRADE & HALL NOVELTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WEST VIRGINIA.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,844, dated August 16, 1892. Application filed December 4;, 1891. Serial No. 413.978. (No model.)

To all whom it; may concern: and finally embodied in "the clauses of the Be it known that I, GEORGE F. HALL, a citiclaims.

zen of the United States, residing at Newark, In the drawings herewith accompanying, in

in the county of Essex and State of New J erwhich similar letters of reference are em- 5 sey, have invented certain new and useful Imployed to indicate corresponding parts in each 5 5 provements in Bicycles; and I do hereby deof the several views, Figure 1 is a side View of clare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- a bicycle provided with my differential-speed act description of the invention, such as will mechanism operatively arranged on the pedal enable others skilled in the art to which it apor crank shaft and provided with a second pertains to make and use the same, reference shaft rotating at right angles thereto, or ap- 60 being had to the accompanying drawings, and proximatelyso,and provided with a miter-gear to letters of reference marked thereon, which on the one end gearing with a pinion secured form a part of this specification. to the axle of the rear wheel of the machine.

This invention relates to improvements in The View also clearly shows the arrangement I velocipedes or other like motors, and has for of a shifting mechanism operated from the 65 its object to provide asimple and effective difsteering-handle. Fig. 2 is a horizontal secferential-speed mechanism for readily changtion of the machine, taken on line so in Fig. 1, ing the speed of the machine without any exclearly illustrating the arrangement and contra amount of energy exerted by the rider in struction of the speed mechanism. Fig. 3 is increasing from a slow speed to a faster speed, a face view of a differential-speed wheel ar- 70 the invention being of great advantage in ranged upon the crank-axle or pedal-shaft, climbing steep grades and the speed of the two pinions loosely arranged upon a shaft machine being changed from slow to fast, or which operates the rear wheel, and a shifter vice versa, without increasing the number of or clutch adapted to be thrown into holding revolutions of the pedals. engagement with either one of said pinions 75 This invention is further designed to proand causing said rear-wheel-operating shaft vide a speed mechanism for operating the to rotate at an ordinary speed or an increased wheels of the machine, said mechanism being speed at the will of the rider. Fig. 4 is an capable of adjustment at the will of the rider, enlarged face view of part of the speed-wheel whereby one can coast downhill without reand a vertical section of the pinions and the 80 moving the feet from the pedals, the pedals sliding clutch or shifter. Fig. 5 is an end remaining in their stationary position until view of a holding device provided with means the speeding mechanism is again thrown into for holding the handle of the clutch-operatoperative engagement. ing mechanism in any desired position to The invention consists, essentially, in a cause the engagement of either pinion with 85 crank-shaft provided with pedals for operateither set of teeth upon the speed-wheel or to ing the same, anda differential-speed or drive cause said shifter to be held between said wheel on said shaft, and actuating mechanpinions out of engagement with both. isms loosely arranged on a second shaft and In the drawings, A A represent the front each meshing with teeth on said differential and rear wheels, respectively, of a velocipede; 0 wheel, and a shifter for causing the working A the frame or fork of the front wheel; B, contact of one actuating mechanism and prethe steering-post, secured to the fork A in any venting that of the other or for throwing both well-known manner, and O is the main frame, out of working contact at the same time and having reaches 0, provided with an axle a,

allowing the pedals to beheld in one and the upon which the rear wheel A rotates, and

same position, especially in coasting downsaid axle is arranged in bearings a, of any dehill. sira ble construction, on the ends of the reaches,

The invention further consists of certain as will be seen more especially from Figs. 1

arrangements and combinations of parts, such and 2.

50 as will be hereinafter more fully described, The velocipede herein shown is of the welltate loosely on said shaft e'and still cannot slip longitudinally thereonand its teeth will at all times mesh with the teeth d on the difknown Safety type; butit will be evidentthat I can apply my improved form of speeding mechanism to any desirable form of bicycles or other similar motors.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the main frame 0 is provided with a downwardly-extending arm 0', preferably forked at the bot-,

tom, forming the short supports c', having hearings in which rotates the crank or pedal shaft 0 provided with the pedals 0 Upon said shaft 0 in any convenient position thereon I have arranged the drive or speed wheel D, which, for convenience, I will term the difierential-speed wheel. Said wheel D, as will be clearly seen from Figs. 3 and 4, is provided with two concentrically-arranged sur faces at and d, provided with gear-teeth d and d respectively, which have the same pitch. Extending from beneath the bearings 01. of the rear wheel and attached to the ends of the supports 0 on the forked arm 0 are the reaches 0 Upon said shaft a Ihave secured a miter-gear 0. with which meshes a pinion e, arranged on a shaft 6, the end a of which extends into and rotates in a socket a", formed ata rightangle on one of the bearings a. Said shaft 6 extends forwardly in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine and is supported at or near its opposite end in a suitable bearing 0 extending up from one or both of said reaches C Said shaftehas arranged thereon two miter-wheels e and e, respectively, which normally rotate loosely on said shaft, the miter-wheel e being in constant mesh with the teeth (1 on the diiferentiahspeed wheel, and the miter-Wheel e being in constant mesh with the teeth d 'of said speed-wheel. Between said gear-wheels e and 6 adapted to slide on keys 6 on said shaft e, I have arranged a shifter or clutch f, which may be of any well-known construction and which is operated by means of a shifting mechanism F, the construction of which will be more particularly described hereinafter.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 3, the re spective teeth on the difierentiahspeed wheel D and those on the small gear-wheel a are placed opposite to each other, whereby said wheel a will rotate in the same direction as the differential-speed wheel D, and thereby cause the rear wheel A of the machine to revolve forwardly.

I prefer to secure the loose gear-wheels e and e upon the shaft 6 in the following manner: The pinion e is provided with the clutchteeth 8 or the equivalent thereof, extending from the back thereof, and is provided with a so'cketed portion 6 in which is arranged a collar 6 firmly secured on the shaft 6 and against which the inner surface of the wheel 9, bears. Upon the opposite side of said collar a hearing against the same and against an annular recess 6 in the wheel, is a washer or ring e secured against said recess a by means'of screws or other well-known means. In this way said gear-wheel e is free to roferential-speed wheel. In order to overcome any possible friction between said wheel e and the shaft e, the latter can be provided with agroove e, in which are placed a desirablenumber of balls or'rollers e thereby forming a perfect anti-friction bearing. The pinion e is similarly secured upon the shaft 6, being provided with holding-teeth e or the equivalent thereof and secured loosely in position on the shaft by means of a collar e attached to the shaft, and a ring or plate a, secured by means of pins or screws e to the gear-wheel. This wheel is thus free to rotate loosely upon the shaft e, and said shaft may be provided with a groove e" and the balls or rollers e, as will be evident from Fig. 4.

The clutch or shifter f can be of usual construction, being provided with an annular groove f, into which fit the arms f of a bifurcated lever f pivoted in any convenient position on the frame of the machine. A lever f is connected by means of a crank-arm f with a rod f secured to one of the arms of a bell-crank f, which in turn is attached by means of a ball-and-socket joint f witha rod f, attached to a pivoted lever f arranged on one of the handle-bars of the machine. A spring f is attached to the arm 0' of the frame, which forces the lever f in the direction of the hind wheel and normally causes the engagement of the clutch orshifter f with the gear-wheel e. A second spring f" may be used, if desirable, between the handle-bar and the lever f for normally forcing the same down. Saidleverf, as will be seen from Figs. 1 and 5, passes between a holding or adj usting device g, secured around the handle-bar by means of a screw g, which screws into the spring-arms g and g of said device. At the lower ends of said arms is a second screw g screwed into the arms 9 and passing through a hole in the arm 9 and provided with a coiled spring 9 Said spring-arm g has two notches g and g for readily enabling the rider to judge the position of the shifter f. For instance, as shown in the figures said shifter is out of engagement with both pinions e and e and the position of the lever f will be between the notches g and 9', being held in that position by the hand of the rider. If he lets go of the lever f", the springs cause said lever to be readily forced below the lower notch g and the shifter f is thrown in engagement with the gear a. To disengage the gear e and to force the shifter f into holding contact with the gear 6 the rider forces the lever f 9 above the notch 9 and the shifter will ghen clutch with the gear a as will be evient.

The operation of the several devices just described will be clearly evident from this description and from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

IIO

The advantages of this form of speeding mechanism over the ordinary sprocket-wheel and chain used in the Safety type of machines will be evident.

Owing to the decreased diameter of that portion 61' of the differential-speed wheel and the small gearwheel e meshing with the teeth d thereof I can attain the same speed now obtained in the machine with the large sprocket-wheel with less power and exertion on the part of the rider, which is due to the decreased diameter of this part of the driving-wheel, and hence greater leverage-power is obtained. There is alsoless friction. When a greater speed is to be obtained, the clutch or shifter f is disengaged from said gear 6 and thrown into engagement with the gear 6 Said wheel then being fast upon the shaft 6, it has to pass over a greater distance than the wheel e on the face of the speed or drive wheel, and hence makes a greater number of revolutions while gearing with the teeth (1 of the differential-speed wheel, which makes just as many revolutions as before.

WVhile either one of the wheels 6 or e is in holding engagement with the clutch or shifter f, and thereby causing the shaft 6, and hence thehind wheel A, to revolve, the disengaged gear rotates at a slower or faster speed, according to which is in gear with the clutch, without disturbing the revolutions of the shaft 6. It will thus be evident that for ordinary riding or in climbing hills the gear 6 which gives the normal speed, can be used,

while when riding over hard or smooth roads-such as asphalt, &c.the gear 6 can be used, thereby considerably increasing the speed of the machine, and a rider is able to actuate the pedals with greater ease and with less exertion. Thus the speed of the ma chine can be changed with no inconvenience to the rider, the speed of the drive-wheel or differentialspeed wheel D remaining the same at all times, and hence the feet of the rider are not tired by increasing the up-anddown movements of the same in order to ob-' tain increased speed.

Another very great advantage is that in coasting downhill the shifter f can be moved in position and out of gear with both pinions e and e, which, as they are thereby loose upon the shaft e, whichthat is, the shaft necessarily receives a rotary movement from the rear wheel A, remain stationary, and the differential-speed wheel and its axle c and the pedals can be held in the same position, whereby the rider can have his feet in position upon the pedals.

In the constructions of machines as heretofore made in coasting the pedals revolved very quickly and the feet had to be removed.

A rider therefore had to quickly place his feet upon the foot-pieces, which are now disa pensed with,and sometimes, owing to carelessness, he would be struck by a revolving pedal and thrown, perhaps injuring himself or damaging his machine. It will thus be seen that I have devised a machine in which all the difficulties have been overcome, and an easilyoperated driving-wheel is the result which has at all times the same number of revolutions; but by means of the intermediately-arranged mechanism the rear wheel of the machine is caused to rotate either slowly or quickly, as may best suit the conditions of the road or the will of the rider. By this arrangement and construction of speeding mechanism a simple device has been the result for actuating one and the same sprocket-wheel with a slow or fast speed at the will of the rider and without increasing the number of revolutions to be made by the .pedalcrank and its axle. The several gear-wheels can be provided with ball-bearings similar to those in construction described in connection with the gear-wheels e and 6. (Shown in Figs. 3 and 4..) In order to make aperfectly-noiseless and freely-working speed mechanism, said'gearwheels or some of them can be made from rawhide.

In my constructions of the differential-speed mechanisms herein shown anddescribed it will be evident that I have devised a simple and effective means whereby the rider can vary the speed of the machine from normal speed to fast speed without increasing the number of revolutions of the drive-wheel, the crank-axle, and the pedal-cranks, and he can therefore obtain an increased speed without any increased'exertion on his part and with practically the same power.

It Will be evident that certain changes of construction may be made in the differentialspeed mechanism without departing from the scope of 'the invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction and the arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 4 1. In a differential-speed mechanism for a velocipede or other like motor, the combina= tion of the frame, an axle, a speed or drive wheel provided with two sets of concentrically-arranged gear-teeth, a shaft 6, supported in bearings in the frame and provided with means for actuating the rear axle'of the velocipede, two miter-Wheels loosely revoluble on'said shaft and both in normal inoperative engagement with the concentrically-arranged teeth on the speed or drive wheel, collars e and 6 secured on said shaft, and plates 6 wheel and the inoperative engagement of the other miter-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a difierential-speed mechanism for a velocipede or other like motor, the combination of the frame, an axle, a speed or drive wheel provided with two sets of concentrically-arranged gear-teeth, ashaft e, supported in bearings in the frame and provided with means for actuating the rear axle of the velocipede, two miter-wheels loosely revoluble on said shaft and both in normal inoperative engagementwith the concentrically-arranged teeth on the speed or drive wheel, collars e and a, secured on said shaft, and plates e and e for holding said miter-wheels in the same position on said shaft, but allowing them to rotate each independent from the shaft e at different speeds, and a shifter or clutch sliding freely on said shaft for causing the operative engagement of the one miter-wheel with said shaft and with the speed or drive wheel and the inoperative engagement of the other miterwheel, anda system of levers or arms secured on said frame and operated from one of the handle-bars of the machine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. n a difierential-speed mechanism for a velocipede or other like motor, the combination of the frame, an axle, a speed or drive wheel provided with two sets of concentrically-arranged gear-teeth, ashaft 6, supported in bearings in the frame and provided with means for actuating the rear axle of the velocipede, two miter-wheels loosely revoluble on said shaft and both in normal inoperative engagement with the concentrically-arranged teeth on the speed or drive wheel, collars e and e, secured on said shaft, and plates 6 and e for holding said miter-wheels in the same position on said shaft, but allowing them to rotate each independent from the shaft e at different speeds, and a shifter or clutch sliding freely on said shaft for causing the operative engagement of the one miter-wheel with said shaft and with the speed or drive wheel and the inoperative engagement of the other miter-wheel, and a system of levers or arms secured to said frame and operated from one of the handle-bars of the machine, and means on the handle-bar for holding the hand-lever of the clutch-operating levers in certain locked positions, consisting, essentially, of spring-arms g and g screw g, spring actuated screw 9 and notches g and g in one of said spring-arms, as g substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a velocipede or other like motor, a differential speed mechanism comprising therein an axle, a speed or drive wheel,a pair of actuating mechanisms, each capable of receiving a different revoluble motion from said drive-wheel, a shifter orclutch mechanism for causing the operative engagement of one actuating mechanism and preventing the operation of the other, and said shifter also being capable of disengagement with both actuating mechanisms at the same time, whereby the axle can be held in an inoperative position while coasting with the velocipede, and means on the handle-bar for holding said shifter or clutch in its several engaged and disengaged positions, consisting, essentially, of spring-arms g and g screw 9' spring-actuated screw 9 and notches g and g in one of'said spring-arms, as 9 substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The herein-described velocipede, comprising therein the frame C, having reaches 0, arm 0', bifurcated, as at c, and connecting-arms 0 an axle 0 a difierential-speed or drive wheel having the concentrically-arranged gear-teeth d and (i a shaft e in engagement with the rear axle of the machine and rotating in bearings 0L and c on said frame, miter-gears e and a, loosely revoluble on said shaft (2 and normally in inoperative engagement with the gear-teeth d and d on said speed or drive wheel, and a shifter or clutch sliding on said shaft e for causing the operative engagement of said miter-gear e and the inoperative engagement of the miter-gear e, or vice versa, and means connected with the handle-bar of the machine for shifting said clutch, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of November, 1891.

GEORGE F. HALL.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, WM. H. CAMFIELD, Jr. 

